Electrically controlled lock



Jul 26, 1938. H. A. w. war-ms 2,124,936

' ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED LOCK Filed March 2a, 1958 p s Sheets-Sheet .1

' 65- .69169) 4.1% A f/ P5 ATTORNEY Jul 26, 1938.

Filed Harch 28, 1958 H. A. W. WEHRS ELECTRIGALLY CONTROLLED LOCK 5Sheets-Sheet 2 av wag iguvzmoa ATTORNEY July'26,1938. H. A. w. wEHR's I-2,124,936

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED'LOCK Filed March 28, 19s s Sheets-Sheet s#4PW4W/1/F/f PS INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 26, 1938 e i UNITEDSTATES rATENT OFFICE ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED LOCK Harry A. W. Wehrs,Bangor, Wis.

Application March 28, 1938, Serial No. 198,559

8 Claims. (01. 70-441) The object of the invention is to provide a lockthe manual retractionof the latch when the bolt for use on doors andsimilar closures by means is in such a position to permit this. The boltM of which the releasing operation is accomplished has a slide mountingin guides I! carried in the by the actuation in a predetermined sequenceof case l8 and the fingerpiece extends through a a plurality of switchescontrolling locking or clearance slot 119 in the wall of the case. The 5latching members; to provide a lock of the kind bolt may occupy eitherof two positions in its indicated in which a latch member is includedguides, in one of which the closed end of the as an element so that uponthe releasing operabore abuts the stem of the fingerpiece and pretionthe latch may be thereafter actuated to reeludes movement of the latchand in the other 10 lease the closure; and generally to provide an ofwhich the latch is free to move the length 10 electrically controlledlock of such construction of the slot l9 against the pressure of thespring that the elements may be readily reduced in l5. Thestem of thefingerpiece is angular as number or increased in number to simplify orshown, and the spring l5 surrounds a part of the complicate thereleasing operation. stem and is compressed between the end of the Withthis object in view, the invention consists latch and an abutmentcollarZll fixed in the bore 15 in a construction and combination ofparts of of the bolt. If desired, manual operation of the which apreferred embodiment is illustrated in latch from either side may beprovided by exthe accompanying drawings but to which the intending afingerpiece similar to the fingerpiece I6 vention is not to berestricted. Practical applithrough an opposite side of the casing, sothat cation may dictate certain changes or alterations there may be oneon either side of the jamb or 20 and the right is claimed to make anywhich fall frame in which the lock is mounted.

within the spirit of the invention. The belt I4 is yieldingly impelledinto release In the drawings: position for the latch, being provided atthe Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view on an end remote from thelatch with a stem 2| which enlarged scale of the improved lock, thewiring passes through a guide bracket 22 and through 25 in certain ofthe parts being diagrammatically the wall of the case l8, terminating ina head indicated. 23. Between a collar 24 and-the bracket plate Figure 2is an enlarged sectional view of that 22, the stem is surrounded by acompression portion of the construction including the latch spring 25and when the bolt is in a position to 20 member. prevent latchretraction, the spring is com- Figure 3 is a sectional view on the planeinpressed. The head 23 of the stem serves as a (h y the line 33 ofFigure 2. fingerpiece bymeans of which the bolt is moved Figure 4 is anenlarged sectional view of the into latch holding position in which itis retained cooperating ends of the bolt and 'bolt control by a seriesof'pawls 26, 21, 28, 29 and 30, the pawls bar. p p 26 to 29 inclusivebeing spring impelled toward 35 Fi ur 5 is a sectional vi w n the p nnthe bolt but the pawl 30 being without a spring, Cheat d by the line 0fFigure so that it will maintain either of the twopositions Figure 6 is aSectional View 011 the plane in which it is set. Engagement of the pawlswith (heated by the e Figure the bolt is by means of seats formed in thelatter Figure s a Sectional View Of One Of the double resulting fromnotching the same but the spacing 40 p Switches Comprised in thecomplement of of successive seats is progressively increased Sw tc esiwhile the spacing of the pawls is uniform. Thus,

While the invention, in the proportioning of its when t pawl 25 isengaged, th remaining parts y h eohstrueted meuntihg either pawls,except pawl 30, while in their respective .5 the door in t l b, t isillustrated in the notches, are spaced from the abutment ends. presentembodiment as being carried in t lamb, This, so that when the pawl 26 isreleased, the So that the latch Ni may enter the socket I I in the boltwill be withdrawn until the pawl 2'! engages door I2 when the latter isin closed position, the th but t end f its notch and when it is latc avg the custemely ev l n e 13 released the pawl 28 engages the abutmentend depress it into its socket as the door moves to of its slot and soon. 50

closed position. The latch it] has a sliding 1 The pawls are allpivotally mounted in the case mounting in the bolt M in a socket formedin the and the retraction of the pawl 26 is accomplished latter andwhich houses a spring i5 yieldingly by energizing the magnet 3|. Themagnet 32 impelling the latch to expose the nose end thereperforms asimilar function for the pawl 27, the of, a fingerpiece It beingexteriorly exposedfor magnet 33 for the pawl 28 and the magnet 34 '55for the pawl 29. The pawl 30 is normally disengaged from its seat in thebolt l4 and is moved into engagement with its seat by energizing themagnet 35. Release of the pawl 30 from its seat is effected by movementof the bolt control bar 36 which is spring impelled in one directionthrough the instrumentality of a spring 31 surrounding a stem 38 on thebar and compressed between a collar 39 on the bar and a bracket plate 40through which the stem slidably passes. The bolt control bar 36 ismounted in guides 4| carried in the casing and is provided with afingerpiece 42 which extends through a slot 43 in the wall of thecasing. The purpose of the fingerpiece is to move the control bar in adirection opposite to that in which it is moved with the spring.

The bolt control bar is retained in a position intermediately betweenits two extreme positions through the instrumentality of pawls 44, 45,46 and 4'! which are pivotally mounted and spring impelled toward'the'control bar toengagein seats in the latter similar to seats formed inthe bolt. These seats are provided by not'ching the barand progressivelyspacing the distance betweensuccessive notches, so that with uniformlyspaced pawls, the bolt control bar may be released by successivelyretracting the pawls, al.- lowing it to recede in short steps until it"is' finally entirely retractedwhen the pawl 41 is released.

The pawls 44 to 41 inclusive'are successively retracted by successivelyenergizing the "magnets 48,49, 50and'5l.

The bolt control bar is provided with a stem '52 terminating in a yoke53 which extends around the ends of a finger 54 projecting laterallyfrom a pull-rod 55 connected with the pawl 30 at the tail of the latter.The pull-Tod 55' extends through the'wall of the case and terminates ina head 56 and interior to the case is provided with a collar :51 forcooperation with a fork later described.

With the bolt control bar in its intermediate position or that in whichit is retained by the pawl 44 when the latter is engaged with its seat,the stem side of the yoke '53 abuts the finger 54, so that if thecontrol bar is moved further than this position, as it may bewhen themagnet 58 is energized, the pawl 30 will be moved into seat engagingposition, when the finger 54 will abut the opposite vside' of the yoke 7when the bar returns .to its intermediate position, or that in which itis retained by the pawl 44. When the pawl 30 is in bolt engagingposition, the release of the control bar willthen result in a pullagainst the finger 54min an opposite direction than previously with theresult that the pawl 30 will be retracted from itsbolt engagingposition. 3

Each of the pawls, except the pawl 41., is operatively connected with acircuit closer of which each is in the form of a longitudinally movable7 bar with alternate insulating and conducting zones. Movement of thebars as a result of pawl movement thus effects a switching operation andthe bars in effect are switches and. hereinafter are so referred to.There are thus provided the single-pole double-throw switches 59., 6D,6!, '62, '63 and 64, the single-pole single-throw switch 65 and thedouble-throw switch 65, which is single .pole in one position and doublepole in the other.

The fork '61 which is. the fork cooperating with the collar 51 ismounted within the caseand slides in a guide '38, being shifted into andout of obstructing position with respect to the collar through themedium of a hand knob 59.

The circuits of the several magnets above referred to are controlled bythe switches Ill, H, 12, 13, l4, l and 16 of which all but switches 13and 15 are single-pole, these two' latter switches being double-pole.Blind switches 11 and 18 are provided to complicate the system to makeit more difficult for one not acquainted with the sequence of operationof the switches to release the lock. The operation of either theswitches H or 78 will effect bolt engaging operation of the pawl 30 atthe wrong instance so that bolt release cannot thereafter be effectedExteriorly, all of the switches, to 13 inclusive, appear the same butthey are prorniscuously arranged so that their sequence of position willbe at variance with their sequence of operation.

In operation, when the door [2 is closed and engaged by the latch [0,the latch is secured against retraction when the bolt [4 is in theforward position where the pawls 26.; 21,, 28 and 29 engage in theirseats, as shown in Figure l of the drawings. The pawl 30, however, is inretracted or disengaged position. The latches 44 to 41., however, engagein their seats in the control "bar in which position the upper side ofthe yoke 53 engages the finger 54 of the pull-rod 55- 'To release thebolt, the switches ll] to 16 inclusive must be operated in a certainsequence but in order that they may operate, the main control switch 19must first be closed, this being a' switch in one side of the main lineconductor 80. With the switch 19 closed, if the switch 12 be firstdepressed, it will close the circuit on the magnet 31, current flowingover the conrductor '80 to the switch 65 which is in closed positionwhen the pawl 30 is retracted, then over the'conductor Bl to the switch12, then over the conductor 82 to the magnet 3|, then over the conductor83 through onepole of the switch 66 which is in closed position on thedouble-pole side, then over the conductor 84 to the return line 85. Thepawl 26 will then be retracted and the bolt will move-back a smalldistance until the pawl 21 engages the abutment face of its notch. Thenthe magnet 32 must be energized to effect release of the pawl 21 andthis .is-accomplished by actuation of the switch 10, depressing whichresults inthe flow of current over the conductor 80, switch 65 andconductor 8.! as before, then through the switch 10, then over theconductor 86, then through the switch 66 which, by previous movement ofthe pawl .26, releases the switch from the double-pole side and closesit on the single-pole 'side. From the switch -55, current fiows over the.conductor 81 to the magnet 32 and thence cover the conductor 8.8 to thereturn side of the line 85. The pawl 21 is then retracted and the bolt14 drops back until further .movement is arrested by the pawl 28 torelease which the magnet 33 must be energized. This is accomplished byactuation of the switch 14, current passing as before to the conductortland thence through the switch 14 to the conductor 89, thence through theswitch 64 which, by the movement of the pawl 21, .has been shifted toclosed circuit position for this conductor. From the switch 64 currentpasses over the conductor 90 through the magnet 33 and over the.conductor 91 to the return line 85. The ,pawl 28 is then retracted andthe bolt drops back a further increment until it is arrested by the pawl29. But the release of this pawl is not the next step in the series ofoperation. The pawl this is done by energizing the magnet 35 whichwithout the return of all parts to normal position.

is accomplished by the actuation of the switch II. Current which reachesthe conductor BI as previously described, passes-through the switch II,over the conductor 92, through the switch 63 which, by movement of thepawl 28, has been moved into circuit closing position for thisconductor. Thence current passes over the conductor 93 to the magnet 35and thence to the return conductor 85. The pawl 30 is then moved intobolt engaging position and its associated switch 65 is shifted to openposition, so that when the pawl 29 is released thebolt I4 will bearrested by the pawl 30 but it recedes a small amount to engage the pawl30 after the release of the pawl 29 to prevent reengagement of thelatter pawl with its seat after the magnet 34 is deenergized. Toenergize the magnet 34 to release the pawl 29 the switch I3 is operated.This is a double-pole switch but in this instance its circuit closingfunction is performed only on one side, current passing'overtheconductor through the conductor 94, thence through the switch 62which with the pawl 29 engaged is in circuit closing position for thisconductor, thence over the conductor 95 to one pole of the switch I3,thence, over the conductor 96, the conductor 91, the magnet 34 and theconductor 98 to the return conductor 85. The pawl 29 is thus retractedbut, as before explained, the movement of the bolt beyond a smallincrement is arrested by the pawl 30.

The next series of operations calls for the successive release of thepawls 44 to 41 inclusive of the control bar 36. To release the pawl 44,the magnet 48 must be energized and this is done by the operation of theswitch I5 which is also a double-pole switch, current flowing, when thisswitch is depressed, over the conductor 80 to the conductor 99, thenceoverthe switch 62 which, by reason of the shift-over effected bymovement of the pawl 29, is in circuit closing position for thisconductor. From the switch 62 current flows over the conductor I00, theconductor IOI, one side of the switch I5, the conductor I02, the magnet48 and thence to the return conductor 85. The pawl 44 is thus releasedand the control bar 36 recedes until it is arrested by the pawl 45, torelease which the magnet 49 is energized. This is accomplished byactuation of the switch 13. In this operation, the opposite pole thanthat previously active carries out the circuit closing function, currentwhich reaches the conductor IOI in the same manner as previouslydescribed passing over the conductor I03 and through the switch 6I tothe magnet 49, this switch being moved into circuit closing position forthe magnet by the retraction of the pawl 44. Leaving the magnet 49current passes over the conductor I04, at one pole of the switch I3, theconductor I05 and the conductor I09 to the return conductor'85.

The next step-is toenergize the magnet 50 to efiect retraction of thepawl 46 which at this instance is restraining the control bar 36.Depression of the switch I6 results in closing the circuit on the magnet50, the switch 60 having been moved into circuit closing position forthis purpose by the retraction of the pawl 45. Current reaching theconductor I00 as previously described, passes over the conductor I0I tothe switch I6, thence over the conductor I08 tothe magnet 50, thencethrough the switch 60 over the conductor I09 to the conductor I06 andthence to the return conductor 85. The pawl 46 is thus withdrawn fromits seat in the control bar and the latter moves a small distance untilit is arrested by the pawl 41 to retract which the magnet 5| must beenergized. The switch I5 is closed for this purpose, the switch 59having been moved into circuit closing position for the magnet 5! uponretraction of the pawl 46. When the switch I5 is depressed under theseconditions, current flows over the conductor I00 to the opposite polethan that which was active in the previous operation, thence over theconductor IIO, the switch 59, the magnet 5I and the conductor I06 backto the return conductor 85. 3! left free to retract the control bar 36its full distance, when the yoke engages the finger 54 and effectsretraction of the pawl 30 from the bolt I4, leaving the spring 24 of thebolt free to retract the latter when the latch is free to be released byfinger movement applied through the knob I6.

It will be noted that theseries of operations is carried out through theinstrumentality of serially connected switches, a pawl actuated switchcooperating with a finger or hand actuated switch, so that both must bein their proper positions in order for the hand actuated switch tooperate.

Assume that the switches were not actuated in proper sequence, then apawl controlled switch would be in open circuit position and the magnetassociated with the particular hand controlled switch could not beoperated. For example, suppose that the switch I2 were first operatedwhich, in the particular arrangement shown, is the first in the sequenceof operations. This would result in withdrawing the pawl 26 from thebolt. But suppose the switch II were next operated. This could notenergize its associated magnet 35 because the circuit on that magnetwould be open by reason of the position of the switch 63. But the magnet35 could be energized by depression either of the switch IT or theswitch I8. If the former, current would flow over the conductor M to theswitch 11, thence over the conductor I I I from which it would pass tothe conductor II2 through either the switches 53, 64 or 66, depending onwhether any or all of the pawls 26, 2! and 28 are in bolt engagingposition. Any of these three pawls in bolt engaging position would haveits operatively connected switch in position to close the circuitbetween the conductors III and H2 through the conductors H3, H4 or H5.Any current flowing in the conductor The pawl 47 is then retracted andthe spring I I2 would pass through the magnet 58 and thence to thereturn conductor through the conductor I I6. Energizing the magnet 58,however, results in movement being imparted to the control bar in adirection to apply a pressure upon the finger 54 to move the pawl 39into bolt engaging position. When this is done, the switch 65 is movedinto open circuit position and if either of the pawls 26, 2I or 28 isengaged with the bolt at that time, magnetic release of such pawl willbe precluded, since the switch 65 controls circuit continuity betweenthe conductors and BI. With any or all of the pawls 44, 45 and 46engaged in their seats in the control bar 39, the switches 6|, 60 and 59are in circuit closing position through the conductors I I1, I I8 and H9to place the conductor I20 in circuit with the conductor I2I, so that ifthe switch I8 be closed, the magnet 56 will be energized either bycurrent flowing from the conductor I01 through the switch I8 to theconductor I20 and thence over the conductor I2I to the magnet 58 or fromthe conductor 8| to the conductor I20, depending on the positions ofpawls 29 and 30, since the bolt releasing position of the pawl 29 willdeter mine'whether current can reach the switch over the conductor I00and the similar position of the pawl'30 will determine whether it canreach the switch over the conductor 8|. the control bar are notreleasedin proper sequence the control bar will not be released and if theswitch 18 be actuated, any pawls that have been previously released willbe returned to control bar engaging position because the energization ofthe magnet 58 will impart movement to the control bar to effect this aswell as to shift the pawl 32 into bolt retaining position.

To provide for quick operation of the bolt by someone from the inside ofthe protected enclosure, a multi-pole switch I22 is provided, all of thepoles of this switch being connected together to the line 80 but theother poles being connected to the conductors I23, I24, I25 and I26which lead respectively to the magnets 3!, 32, 33 and 34. Closing theswitch will result.

in current flowing simultaneously to these sev eral magnets thuseffecting retraction of all of the pawls so that the bolt may beretracted by its spring.

The fork 61' is of a form to adapt it to engage on'either side of thecollar 51. 'In one position, it is free of the collar and the pull-rod55 may be moved in either direction to engage the pawl 30 with the boltor disengage it therefrom. When the pawl is engaged with the bolt, thefork may be shifted intoa position to overlap the collar 51 on one side,so that'the pawl cannot then be retracted. When the pawl is disengaged,the fork may be shifted to engage the collar 51 on the other side toprevent engagement of the pawl with the bolt. By this arrangement thepawl 3E! .may beren'dered operative to limit the operation of themechanism to release pawls 26 to 29 inclusive. Or the fork may beemployed to lock the pawl in'the bolt so that the whole apparatus isrendered inoperative so far as release by the switches 10 to 16 isconcerned.

The invention having been described,.what is claimed as new and usefulis:

1. A lock having a bolt, a spring yieldingly impelling the bolt frombolting position, a plurality of pawls yieldingly impelled toward thebolt and engaging seats in the latter to retain the bolt in boltingposition, electrically actuated retracting means for each of said pawls,and a plurality of switches individually controlling the electricallyactuated retracting means and having their sequence of operation atvariance with their sequence of position.

2. A look having a bolt, a spring yieldingly impelling the bolt frombolting position, a plurality of pawls yieldingly impelled toward thebolt and engaging seats in the latter to retain the bolt in boltingposition, electrically actuated retracting means for each of said'pawls,a'plurality of manual switches for controlling the actuation of saidretracting means, and a plurality of pawl actuated switches also.controlling said retracting means and coordinated with the manualswitches. V

3. A lock having a bolt, a spring yieldingly impelling the bolt frombolting position, .a plurality of pawls yieldingly impelled toward thebolt and engaging seats in the latter to retain the bolt in boltingposition, electrically actuated retracting means for each of said pawls,a plurality of manual switches for controlling the actuation of saidretracting means, and a plurality ofpawl actuated switches alsocontrolling said retracting If the pawls of means and coordinatedwiththe manual switches, the manualswitcheshaving their sequence ofoperation at variance with their sequence of position. r

4. A look having a bolt, a spring yieldingly impelling the boltfrombolting position, a plurality of pawls yieldinglyimpelled toward thebolt and engagingseats in the latter to retain the bolt in boltingposition, the pawls and seats being arranged in series'of which thespacing of the units of one is uniform and the spacing of the otherprogressively increased, so that bolt retention at any instant is duesolely to one pawl, electrically actuated retracting means for each ofsaid pawls, and a plurality of switches individually controlling. theelectrically actuated retracting means and having their sequence ofoperation at variance with their sequence of position.

5. A look having a bolt, a spring yieldingly impelling the bolt frombolting position, a plurality'of pawls yieldingly impelled toward thebolt and engaging seats in the latter to retain the bolt in boltingposition, the pawls and seats being arranged in series of which thespacing of the units of one is uniform and the spacing of the otherprogressively increased, so that bolt retention at any instant is duesolely to one pawl, electrically actuated retracting means for each ofsaid pawls, a'plurality of manually actuated switches individuallycontrolling the electrically actuated retracting means and having theirsequence of operation" at variance with their sequence of. position, anda pluralityof pawl actuated switches coordinated with the manualswitches to control the retracting 'means jointly with the switches. V H

- 6. A look having a bolt, a spring yieldingly impelling the bolt fromboltingposition aplurality of pawls yieldingly impelled toward the boltand engaging seats in the latter to retain the bolt in bolting position,an additional pawl normally disengaged from the bolt but engageable witha seat in the latter, electrically actuated retracting means for theyieldingly impelled pawls, electrical actuating means for saidadditional pawl, and a plurality of switches individually controllingall of said electrically actuated means and having their sequence ofoperation at variance with their sequence of position.

7.'A lock having 'a bolt, a spring yieldingly impelling the bolt frombolting position, aplurality of pawls yieldingly impelled toward thebolt and engaging seats in the latter to retain the bolt in boltingposition, an additional pawl normally disengaged from the bolt butengageable with a seat in the latter, electrically actuated retractingmeans for the yieldingly impelled pawls, electrical actuating means forsaid additional pawl, and a plurality of switches individuallycontrolling allof said electrically actuated means and having theirsequence of operation at'variance with their sequence of position, and apawl retained spring, impelled. control bar provided with electricalreleasing means for the pawls,

.and a plurality of manually actuated switches controlling. the lastsaid release means and likewise having their sequence of operation'atvariance with their sequence of position, the control bar when'releasedeffecting the release of the said additional pawl when the latter. is inbolt engaging position.

8. A look having a bolt, a spring yieldingly impelling. the bolt frombolting position, a plurality of pawls yieldingly impelled toward thebolt and engaging seats in the latter to retain pawls, and a pluralityof manually actuated switches controlling the last said release meansand likewise having their sequence of operation at variance with theirsequence of position, the

control bar'when released efiecting the release 5 of the said additionalpawl when the latter is in bolt engaging position, the said additionalpawl being provided with a manual latching means to positively retain itin either bolt engaging position or in a position disengaged from saidbolt. 10

HARRY AUG. WM. WEHRS.

